Show a Better Life

But to give you good examples from successful nonprofit lifestyle appeals would be risky.

Every nonprofit or environmental organization will have to come up with this particular appeal on your own. And, every successful lifestyle I’ve seen in environmental fundraising walks a very tight line. To give examples here wouldn’t demonstrate their full power.

I do hate to leave my readers empty handed… So, here are three general guidelines for outlining your lifestyle fundraising appeal:

Show success. Specifically where your programs have changed lives of either the recipients of your organization, but if you can, of how other donor’s lives have changed.

Let others tell it for you. Give testimonials by other donors or volunteers. The more you tell a donor how great you are, the less they’ll believe you. It’s way more powerful in the words of other supporters.

Show the dark side. I’m not usually a fan of this, but it works here to demonstrate what will happen to a donors life if they don’t support your organization. Have some people on your list who don’t believe climate change will affect them? Show them just how it will, in very negative terms.

Lifestyle promotions have a unique ability to turn one-time buyers (or, in this case, donors) into brand loyalists.

If you can show me in clear, compelling terms how my interactions with you will make my life better, you’ll have my interest.

And better yet, when I do shell out my cash and my life IS changed for the better… I’m tied to you for life.